


Creating a Family

by Starofwinter



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Aromantic Asexual Mandalorian, Family Feels, Feelings, Multi, Polyamory, aroace author
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:01:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21609487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starofwinter/pseuds/Starofwinter
Summary: He wants a family, but he isn't sure he can let himself have one.
Relationships: The Mandalorian/Cara Dune/Omera
Comments: 22
Kudos: 282





	Creating a Family

**Author's Note:**

> This is just writing out all the feelings I have about aromantic asexual Mando-dad and the family he's stumbled into my accident.

He doesn’t know how long he can keep denying what he wants. He  _ has _ to leave, he knows that. This isn’t the life for him, not yet, at least. Cara has earned her rest here, and she needs it; her night terrors jerk him out of a dead sleep, and the way the kid looks at her when he wakes up too… no, she needs this. He doesn’t. There’s still a lot he has to do, and the longer he stays, the more painful it will be, for all of them.

That doesn’t mean that he hasn’t been thinking about it - what it would mean to settle here permanently, to have a home. Omera and Cara haven’t made a secret of the fact that they’re falling for one another, and that he’s welcome to join them. 

That’s another problem. He isn’t interested in anything like the relationship they share. There are terms for how he feels, he knows, but to explain it, that’s something else entirely. He  _ wants _ to stay with them, to share a home and children and a life, but romance and sex, he  _ doesn’t _ want that. For now, it’s just easier to say that he can’t remove his armor. It’s not entirely a lie, even if Cara calls him on it. She’s too good at reading him, even with his helmet - she tells him she fought alongside clones in the war, and she learned to read their body language in armor. “You’re not as much of a mystery as you think you are,” she tells him over a mug of spotchka, laughing.

He should take offense to it, maybe, but instead, it just settles warmly in his chest, the same way Omera’s soft voice saying good morning does, or the children’s giggles as they play some game he’s certain Winta made up on the spot. This is what he wants, the family he  _ wants _ to have; if the Manda are looking out for him, this is what he  _ can _ have, without any of the rest of it.

* * *

“We’ll come back,” he says, trying not to let his heart bleed too much as Winta looks up at him with tear-filled eyes. 

“You promise?” she asks, and he crouches down to her level.

“I promise. Take care of your mother, I’m leaving you in charge.” He knows how it feels to be given a task as a lost, grieving child. She nods, squaring her little shoulders. He rests his hands on them, nodding firmly before he stands up and steps back.

“Take care of the little one.” Omera smiles sadly, her fingertips lingering on the cheek of his helmet. “We’ll be here when you’re ready.”

He tugs off his glove, resting his hand over hers. “We’ll come back,” he says again, “Stay safe. If you need anything, you have my private comm.” She nods and steps back, letting him go, and he turns away.

Cara rides back with them to the Crest. “We’ll be waiting for you,” she says, “However you want this to go, we’ll be here.” She pulls him into a rough hug, ignoring the beskar that makes it awkward, and he rests his helmet against her forehead. 

“Take care of them,” he says quietly, “And let them take care of you.” He doesn’t know how to do this. How can he leave this behind?

The child coos from behind him, and he turns back to lift him into his arms. “Alright, we’re going,” he says, with a fond kind of exasperation, “Come on.” It’s easier when he remembers why they have to leave, to keep everyone safe. 

As they lift off, he pulls up the holo Omera had pressed into his hand, and he smiles beneath his helmet as he sees their family together.

  
  



End file.
